Budget Ideas for a Wedding Location

by EZWeddingPlanner.com
Wedding budgets are hard to control. Where you have your wedding and reception (the venue) can be very expensive. Here are some ideas.

If your home or that of a friend or relative is large enough to accommodate the number of guests you plan to invite to your wedding, you can save a ton of money. Do any home renovations and major landscaping far in advance of the wedding. You can rent trellises, archways, gazebos, etc. if you don't already have them and decorate them with flowers, or have the ceremony inside by a fireplace, or other pretty location with lots of room for guests. Consider inviting the neighbors, since there will be increased noise and congestion. Send a map with the invitations if you think guests will have a hard time finding the site. Mark the outside with balloons or signs.

You can save a bundle on flowers if you have your wedding somewhere that already has them, such as arboretums or other flower garden locations. Many parks that have flowers would also work.

If you have a small wedding, a backyard barbecue or picnic in the park or beach is great. It is intimate and relaxed and is easy for the bride and groom to mingle with their guests. For larger guest lists, consider hiring a caterer who can also deal with tents, tables, etc. But check out their prices vs. those of a hotel or other facility to be sure you are indeed saving money here. You can also consider a public park or beach, but make contingency plans for bad weather.

Check out places like Elks, American Legion and other clubs. They can be decorated wonderfully and you can have both the ceremony and reception in one place which will also save money. Unfortunately, some churches have instituted very high fees for their facilities/services, so you may want to check out several before choosing. On the other hand, some are very reasonable and if they have a large basement or fellowship room, you can save lots of money by having your reception there. Officiants also come in different price ranges, so shop around.

You do not need excessive decorations. If you book a banquet room from a hotel, often times this includes the draped tables and centerpieces and many other extras. You can probably negotiate many extras too. Remember, off peak dates and days of the week and times of day will save you a bundle.

 

The Wedding Date: Schedule your date at least three weeks before or after any holiday. It's also a good idea to schedule around sports events or other major events in your town. Saturdays almost always command a higher price than other weekend days and certainly more than weekdays. The biggest wedding months are September/October and June/July. You can save big bucks if you get married in any other month.

There are many locations that specifically cater to outdoor weddings and will be able to coordinate all the details. If you are planning it yourself, here's some things to think about. Back up tents or other cover are a good idea, in case of rain or blazing sun that will melt not only your cake, but also your guests. Tents should be set up several days prior to the event to ensure dry ground underneath. Have an adequate number of chairs for both the wedding and reception. If the reception will go into the evening, you will want lights and perhaps heaters, depending on weather. If insects are a problem in your area, consider pre-spraying with insecticide or lighting punk sticks or citronella candles. If you want dancing, you may want to rent a portable dance floor. Also remember to consider the needs of any of your guests who may have special handicap or accessibility needs. Parking and rest room facilities should also be adequate for the number of guests you are planning.